CaliforniaThe Williams-Sonoma
New American Cooking Series

Perhaps more than any other place in the nation, California captures the spirit of contemporary American cooking. The phrase "California cuisine" describes a multicultural approach to cooking that celebrates the very best seasonal and local foods. Today according to author Janet Fletcher, the phrase has more meaning than ever: farmers' markets are enjoying a renaissance; artisan-cheese makers are plying their craft up and down the state; and wine makers continue to innovate. From Warm Baked Olives with Garlic and Fennel to Dungeness Crab Cakes with Cabbage Slaw to Peach and Plum Galette, this collection of 60 recipes shares the best of the state's contemporary culinary style.

Williams-Sonoma New American Cooking is a six-volume series that chronicles contemporary regional fare from coast to coast. From the freshest salmon pulled from Pacific Northwest waters to the sweetest corn harvested in the country's heartland to the juiciest blueberries picked in Maine, New American Cooking celebrates the foods and flavors that shape the American table.

About the Authors

Janet Fletcher trained at the Culinary Institute of America and at Chez Panisse restaurant, in Berkeley, California. A staff food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, she has also written on food and wine for many national magazines. She is the author or co-author of 12 cookbooks, including Fresh from the Farmers' Market, Pasta Harvest, and the Classic Pasta at Home volume of the Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles series.

Chuck Williams, general editor, has helped to revolutionize cooking in America. He opened his first store in the California wine country town of Sonoma in 1956, later moving it to San Francisco. More than 150 stores are now open in the United States, and the company's catalog has an annual circulation of over 42 million. The philosophy behind his success is aptly summed up by the title of the cookbook he wrote to chronicle Williams-Sonoma's first 40 years: Celebrating the Pleasures of Cooking.

Leigh Beisch is an award-winning photographer and an alumna of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her work frequently appears in advertisements, magazines, and cookbooks. She lives in San Francisco.